I have seen many Nutcracker ballets in my time, and each one is special and unique in its own way...but I have never seen a Nutcracker quite like the one performed by the Moscow Ballet! I had the privilege of seeing it a few days ago with me daughter and mother-in-law, and it was a truly special night for all of us.

Many families are familiar with the story of the Nutcracker -- Clara gets a Nutcracker from her uncle Drosselmeyer, and she dreams of battling the mouse king with him, then traveling with the Nutcracker to the land of sweets, where different sweets (peppermints, Spanish chocolate, gingerbread, etc), including the Sugar Plum Fairy, dance for her.

The Moscow Ballet's Nutcracker is very different. First, Clara is now Masha. Second, she doesn't meet the Snow Queen, she meets Father Christmas (Ded Moroz) and Snow Maiden (Snegurochka). Also, Masha doesn't travel to the Land of Sweets, she travels to the Land of Peace and Harmony. Instead of sweets, we see various animals like doves, lambs, bears, dragons, and elephants (symbolized by beautiful giant puppets).

For all the differences, it's still the Nutcracker we know and love. We still got to enjoy Tchaikovsky's music as well as familiar characters like Drosselmeyer, the wind up dolls, the Mouse King (albeit a three headed version!) and Masha's naughty brother. The costumes and sets are absolutely gorgeous (I especially love the scenery which pays homage to the onion tops of the cathedral in St. Petersburg). It's such a fresh version that even people who have been watching the Nutcracker year after year will love it!

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